1:1 Paul, 1 an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and
Timothy [our] brother, unto the church of God which is at
Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:
(1) See the declaration of such salutations in the former
epistles.
1:32a Blessed [be] God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Father of b mercies, and the God of all
comfort;
(2) He begins after this manner with thanksgiving, which
nonetheless (otherwise than he was accustomed to) he
applies to himself: beginning his epistle with the setting
forth of the dignity of his apostleship, forced (as it
should seem) by their importunity which took an occasion to
despise him, by reason of his miseries. But he answers,
that he is not so afflicted but that his comforts do
exceed his afflictions, showing the ground of them, even
the mercy of God the Father in Jesus Christ.
(a) To him be praise and glory given.
(b) Most merciful.
1:4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, 3 that we may be
able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the
comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
(3) The Lord comforts us to this end and purpose, that we may
so much the more surely comfort others.
1:5 For as the c sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our
consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
(c) The miseries which we suffer for Christ, or which Christ
suffers in us.
1:64 And whether we be afflicted, [it is] for your
consolation and salvation, which is d effectual in the
enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or
whether we be comforted, [it is] for your consolation and
salvation.
(4) He denies that either his afflictions with which he was
often afflicted, or the consolations which he received of
God, may justly be despised, seeing that the Corinthians
both ought and might take great occasion to be strengthened
and encouraged by either of them.
(d) Although salvation is given to us freely, yet because
there is a way appointed to us by which we must come to
it, which is the race of an innocent and upright life
which we must run, therefore we are said to work our
salvation; (Php 2:12). And because it is God alone
that of his free good will works all things in us,
therefore is he said to work the salvation in us by
that very same way by which we must pass to everlasting
life, after we have once overcome all incumbrances.
1:85 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our
trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out
of measure, above strength, insomuch that we e despaired
even of life:
(5) He witnesses that he is not ashamed of his afflictions, and
further that he desires also to have all men know the
greatness of them, and also his delivery from them,
although it is not yet perfect.
(e) I did not know at all what to do, neither did I see by
man's help which way to save my life.
1:9 But we had the sentence of death in f ourselves, that we
should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the
dead:
(f) I was resolved within myself to die.
1:10 Who delivered us from so g great a death, and doth
deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver [us];
(g) From these great dangers.
1:116 Ye also helping together by prayer for us, 7 that for
the gift [bestowed] upon us by the means of many persons
thanks may be given by many on our behalf.
(6) That he may not seem to boast of himself, he attributes all
to God, and in so doing also confesses that he attributes
much to the prayers of the faithful.
(7) The end of the afflictions of the saints is the glory of
God, and therefore they ought to be precious to us.
1:128 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our
conscience, that in simplicity and godly h sincerity, not
with fleshly wisdom, but by the i grace of God, we have
had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to
you-ward.
(8) Secondly, he dismisses another slander, that is, that he
was a light man, and such a one as was not lightly to be
trusted, seeing that he promised to come to them, and did
not come. And first he speaks of the singleness of his
mind, and sincerity, which they knew both by his voice when
he was present, and they ought to acknowledge it also in
his letters, being absent: and moreover he protests that he
will never be otherwise.
(h) With clearness, and holy and true plainness of mind, as
God himself can witness.
(i) Trusting to that very wisdom which God of his free
goodness has given me from heaven.
1:13 For we write k none other things unto you, than what ye
read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even
to the l end;
(k) He says that he writes plainly and simply: for he that
writes in an elaborate way, is rightly said to write
otherwise than we read. And this, he says, the
Corinthians will truly know and like very well.
(l) Perfectly.
1:14 As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your
m rejoicing, even as ye also [are] ours in the n day of
the Lord Jesus.
(m) Paul's rejoicing in the Lord was that he had won the
Corinthians: and they themselves rejoiced that such an
apostle was their instructor, and taught them so purely
and sincerely.
(n) When he will sit as judge.
1:15 And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you
before, that ye might have a o second benefit;
(o) Another benefit.
1:179 When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness?
or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the
p flesh, that with me there should be q yea yea, and
nay nay?
(9) He dismisses their slander and false report by denying it,
and first of all in that different ones went about to
persuade the Corinthians, that in the preaching of the
Gospel, Paul agreed not to himself: for this was the matter
and the case.
(p) As men do who will rashly promise anything, and change
their purpose constantly.
(q) That I should say and not say a thing?
1:1810 But [as] God [is] r true, our word toward you was
not yea and nay.
(10) He calls God as witness and as judge of his constancy
in preaching and teaching one self same Gospel.
(r) True, and of whose faithful witness it would be
horribly wicked to doubt.
1:1911 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached
among you by us, [even] by me and Silvanus and Timotheus,
s was not yea and nay, but in t him was yea.
(11) He adds also with himself his companions, as witnesses
with whom he fully consented in teaching the same thing,
that is, the same Christ.
(s) Was not different and wavering.
(t) That is, in God.
1:2012 For all the promises of God in him [are] yea, and in
u him Amen, unto the glory of God by x us.
(12) Last of all he declares the sum of his doctrine, that is,
that all the promises of salvation are sure and ratified
in Christ.
(u) Christ is set also forth to exhibit and fulfil them
most assuredly, and without any doubt.
(x) Through our ministry.
1:2113 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and
hath anointed us, [is] God;
(13) He attributes the praise of this constancy only to the
grace of God, through the Holy Spirit. In addition he
concludes that they cannot doubt of his faith and his
fellows, without doing injury to the Spirit of God, seeing
that they themselves know all this to be true.
1:22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the y earnest of the
Spirit in our hearts.
(y) An earnest is whatever is given to confirm a promise.
1:2314 Moreover I call God for a record upon my z soul,
that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.
(14) Now coming to the matter, he swears that he did not
lightly alter his purpose of coming to them, but rather
that he did not come to them for this reason, that he,
being present, might not be forced to deal more sharply
with them than he would like.
(z) Against myself, and to the danger of my own life.
1:2415 Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are
helpers of your a joy: for by faith ye stand.
(15) He removes all suspicion of arrogance, declaring that he
speaks not as a lord to them, but as a servant, appointed
by God to comfort them.
(a) He sets the joy and peace of conscience, which God is
author of, as opposed to tyrannous fear, and in addition
shows the result of the Gospel.
